Councils join forces to find solution for waste recovery

Hayden started in 2013 as a cadet journalist on the Fraser Coast Chronicle before relocating to Fairfax Media in Tasmania three years later. Hayden joined the Queensland Times in November 2017 as a political journalist with a focus on Ipswich City Council. He has covered two state and one federal budget.

IPSWICH will join a group of five southeast Queensland councils in an effort to find a solution to its waste problems.

Ipswich City Council has joined forces with Logan City, Redland City, Lockyer Valley and Somerset councils and propose to jointly invite expressions of interest for future waste disposal and/or resource recovery services.

Proposals would be invited for a regional solution or for solutions which will suit one or more council areas.

The proposals could range from small scale through to large scale integrated regional solutions.

Interim Administrator Greg Chemello said Ipswich and neighbouring councils were looking to lead a procurement process which would aim to bring market leaders in waste disposal and resource recovery solutions to the region.

"It is advantageous for council and the Ipswich community to invite EOIs through a co-ordinated sub-regional partnership approach,” he said.

"This approach will attract significantly more local, national and potentially international interest from the waste and recycling industry, in providing councils with long-term sustainable solutions to meet waste disposal and resource recovery requirements.

"Through this joint regional EOI process we are hoping to see the waste management industry respond to the communities' requirement for sustainable long term waste solutions across the region.”

The councils have applied to the Australia Competition and Consumer Commission for authorisation for the proposed joint procurement.